Today's News: March 28, 2019

World News
EU Wants Reparations for Afro-Europeans
Daily Caller – The European Parliament overwhelmingly approved a resolution Tuesday addressing “structural racism” in Europe against Europeans of African descent. The resolution calls for “reparations for crimes against humanity during European colonialism.”
The document was written by the British Labour MEP Claude Moraes and was inspired by the racist behavior allegedly experienced by Italian socialist MEP Cécile Kyenge, who served as Italy’s first black government minister.
UN investigator urges Saudi to make Khashoggi murder trial public
Al Jazeera – Agnes Callamard calls on kingdom to reveal the defendants’ names and the fate of 10 others initially arrested.
Saudi Arabia temporarily frees three women’s rights activists
Al Jazeera – After months in detention, some of the the activists jailed for their human rights campaigns granted temporary release.
Iceland’s Wow airline stops flying
BBC – The carrier says it has ceased operations and passengers should book with other airlines.
UK government to hold new Brexit vote
BBC – The Commons will vote on part of PM’s deal but not the political declaration, government confirms.
U.S. News, Politics & Government
Exclusive — Devin Nunes Sending Criminal Referral to DOJ over Spygate: ‘Time to Go on Offense’
Breitbart – House Intelligence Committee Ranking Member Devin Nunes (R-CA) is planning to send a criminal referral next week to the Justice Department that will detail “multiple referrals on a number of different crimes,” including leaking classified information, as part of his investigation into misconduct at the Justice Department and the FBI.
“As of now, it’ll be one criminal referral but with multiple referrals on a number of different crimes,” he told Breitbart News on Wednesday in an exclusive interview. “We will have some leakers in there for sure.”
He said on the ending of the Special Counsel investigation, after it found the Trump campaign did not collude with Russia, “We knew this was a joke from the beginning, and I’ve said as much for a long time. Basically from the time our report came out, which has been a year. But now, the real work begins. It’s good to not have that sitting out there. But we have to now go on offense and track down all these dirty cops and bad players.”
FCC has fined robocallers $208M. It’s collected $6,790
Fox – America’s telecommunications watchdogs have levied hefty financial penalties against illegal robocallers and demanded that bad actors repay millions to their victims. But years later, little money has been collected.
Since 2015, the Federal Communications Commission has ordered violators of the Telephone Consumer Protection Act, a law governing telemarketing and robodialing, to pay $208.4 million. That sum includes so-called forfeiture orders in cases involving robocalling, Do Not Call Registry and telephone solicitation violations.
So far, the government has collected $6,790 of that amount, according to records obtained by The Wall Street Journal through a Freedom of Information Act request.
The total amount of money secured by the Federal Trade Commission through court judgments in cases involving civil penalties for robocalls or National Do Not Call Registry-related violations, plus the sum requested for consumer redress in fraud-related cases, is $1.5 billion since 2004. It has collected $121 million of that total, said Ian Barlow, coordinator of the agency’s Do Not Call program, or about 8%. The agency operates the National Do Not Call Registry and regulates telemarketing.
“That number stands on its own. We’re proud of it; we think our enforcement program is pretty strong,” Mr. Barlow said.
Only black reporters allowed in GA mayoral race event
Online Athens – Race was front and center on Wednesday night during a meeting coordinated to garner support for just one black candidate in Savannah’s mayoral election.
With signs stating “Black press only” on the doors of the church where the meeting was held, white reporters were barred from entry, while black reporters for at least two television stations were permitted inside.
The event was coordinated by the Rev. Clarence Teddy Williams, owner of the consulting firm, The Trigon Group, who declined to discuss the entry policy.
Former Savannah Mayor Edna Jackson declined to comment before going inside, as did Chatham County Commissioner Chester Ellis.
“This is not my idea,” Ellis said.
Savannah Alderman Estella Shabazz, who also attended, said that she had once owned a newspaper and she was a member of the black press, but she declined to comment on the policy barring white reporters from going inside.
While notes were allowed, photos, video and audio recordings were prohibited during the event, according to Stephen Moody, an African-American reporter with WJCL, who was allowed entry. Another reporter from WSAV who attended the meeting was told she could stay because she was black, Moody said.
Schiff Confronted in Explosive House Hearing: We ‘Urge Your Immediate Resignation’
CBS – Updated on: March 28, 2019 / 12:43 PM / CBS News
Every Republican on the House Intelligence Committee is calling on Chairman Adam Schiff to resign Thursday, accusing the California Democrat of weaving a “demonstrably false” narrative of collusion between the Trump campaign and Russia and “undermining” the credibility of the panel.
At a hearing Thursday, Republican Rep. Mike Conaway read a letter arguing Schiff has been “at the center of a well-orchestrated media campaign claiming, among other things, the Trump campaign colluded with the Russian government.”
A visibly emotional Schiff, who did not know this broadside from Republicans was coming, had a strident response. At times raising his voice, he listed a litany of known and controversial interactions between the Trump campaign and Russia – including Donald Trump Jr.’s involvement in the Trump Tower meeting and former campaign chairman Paul Manafort’s sharing of polling data with a Russian associate.
“You might think it’s OK,” Schiff said. “I don’t.”
Since special counsel Robert Mueller did not find that Trump campaign associates had colluded with the Kremlin, according to a letter sent to Congress by Attorney General William Barr, Republicans believe Schiff’s continued investigation of Mr. Trump and his associates is an example of congressional overreach, and they accused him of abusing his position to “knowingly promote false information.”
Security Council Rejects Trump’s Golan Proclamation
Stephen Lendman – Affirmed by Security Council Res. 497, binding international law, Golan is sovereign Syrian territory – illegally seized by Israel in June 1967.
On March 25, Trump defiantly breached international and US constitutional law, under the Supremacy Clause, by signing a proclamation, illegally and brazenly recognizing Golan as Israeli territory.
His action was automatically null and void, changing nothing but further US isolation over this and other issues.
Russia’s Foreign Ministry slammed Trump’s proclamation, saying he acted “in direct violation of UN decisions,” adding:
“Russia…takes a principled position on the issue of the Syrian Arab Republic’s ownership of the Golan Heights. This is confirmed by UN Security Council Resolution 497 of 1981. Our assessment of the unlawful nature of Israel’s decision to extend its sovereignty to the Golan Heights remains unchanged.”
Syria condemned Trump’s action, its Foreign Ministry calling it reckless “irresponsible, hegemon(ic) arrogance…confirm(ing) the United States’ blind commitment to Israel and support of its aggressive ways,” adding:
“The statements did not change the reality that the Golan was and will remain Syrian, Arab.”
“The Syrian nation is more determined to liberate this precious piece of Syrian national land through all available means.”
During a special Wednesday Security Council session on the issue, Syria’s UN envoy Bashar al-Jaafari ripped the Trump regime’s action.
Calling it a “slap in the face to the entire world, he declared it illegitimate “unilateral behavior (with) no legal (validity) or political value.”
Saying it’s a threat to international peace and stability and an attempt to reinvent history, Jaafari added:
“The Syrian people consider the US as an enemy, outlaw state which occupies part of their land after it had caused the killing of thousands of Syrians and destroyed infrastructure and economy.”
“Syria reaffirms that the occupied Golan will return…The US and Israel shouldn’t think that a Syrian land could be part of a malicious bargain.”
“Don’t be misguided by thinking that one day this land will be yours due to hypocrisy or due to being a pawn in the electoral game where you bring each other support, so the Israelis can succeed in their elections and the Americans can also get support from Israeli lobbying groups in the US.”
Economy & Business
Manual transmissions are nearly extinct in midsize sedans, only one left
Fox – And then there was one. The Honda Accord is the last mainstream midsize sedan you can buy in the United States with a manual transmission.
Mazda has confirmed that the Mazda 6 will only be offered with automatics for 2019, as the model is positioned as more of a premium offering.
Stocks Slide As Rate Drop Continues, Dollar Spikes
ZeroHedge – While global markets showed tentative signs of a rebound in sentiment in early Thursday trading, as the global bond rally showed signs of easing, with Treasuries turning lower alongside most sovereign debt in Europe, this quickly reversed around the time US traders start showing up at their desks, and European stocks faded almost all of their earlier gains, while U.S. equity futures drifted, once again within striking distance of the 2,800 key level.
After the 10-year US Treasury yield crept back above 2.37% during Asia trading, a renewed flight to safety saw the yield on the benchmark paper slide in the red again, as global bond yields continued to spiral lower on Thursday as recession fears fed expectations of more policy easing by major central banks, with the 10Y trading below 2.36% at last check.
Energy & Environment
Israelis unveil ‘world’s longest salt cave’
AP – Israeli cave explorers said Thursday that a salt cave with striking stalactites near the Dead Sea is the world’s longest, beating the previous record-holder in Iran.
The cave named Malham, stretching over 10 kilometres (6.25 miles), runs through Mount Sodom, Israel’s largest mountain, and spills out to the southwest corner of the adjacent Dead Sea.
Pale salt stalactites hang from the ceilings, and some of the walls sparkle with salt crystals. Drops of salty water are visible at the tips of some of the stalactites.
Malham became known to researchers through the work of Amos Frumkin, founder and director of the Hebrew University’s Cave Research Centre, who in the 1980s mapped around five kilometres of it.
But in 2006, researchers mapped over six kilometres of the N3 cave in southern Iran’s Qeshm island, granting it the widely recognised status of the world’s longest salt cave.
Two years ago, Israeli spelunker Yoav Negev decided to complete Frumkin’s work, reaching out to Bulgarian cave explorers for reinforcements with the promise of a warm winter adventure.
Negev, founder of the Israel Cave Explorers Club, joined forces with Boaz Langford, a researcher at the university’s research centre, to organise a delegation of eight European spelunkers and another 20 locals.
They spent some 10 days mapping the cave in 2018.
A second 10-day expedition this year with 80 local and international spelunkers completed the measuring and mapping of the cave with lasers, determining its length at more than 10 kilometres.
New England sees huge spike in beached sea turtles
Daily Herald – At a sea turtle hospital housed at an old New England shipyard, a biologist leans over a table and uses a needle to draw blood from a sick loggerhead before tagging its flailing flipper.
These were the first tentative steps toward a return to the ocean for this juvenile nicknamed Honey Bun and hundreds of other loggerhead, Kemp’s ridley and green turtles stranded this winter on Cape Cod beaches.
The number of warm water turtles stuck on beaches here has risen dramatically in the past decade, according to the Mass Audubon’s Wellfleet Bay Wildlife Sanctuary. This year, volunteers recovered 829 helpless turtles washed up on the sand – about half of them dead including some frozen solid. That’s nearly twice what they found in 2016 and 10 times more than in 2008. Cape Cod is believed to have one of the largest annual turtle strandings in the world. There are occasional strandings in Florida, Texas and as far north as the Chesapeake Bay. But those tend to be isolated events connected to cold snaps involving a few dozen to a couple of thousand turtles.
Science & Technology
Pentagon Building AI-Powered Weapons Despite Public Outcry
Nextgov- Protecting the U.S. in the decades ahead will require the Pentagon to make “substantial, sustained” investments in military artificial intelligence, and critics need to realize it doesn’t take that task lightly, according to current and former Defense Department officials.
Efforts to expand the department’s use of AI systems have been met with public outcry among many in the tech and policy communities who worry the U.S will soon entrust machines to make life-and-death decisions on the battlefield. Last year, employee protests led Google to pull out an Air Force project that used machine-learning to sort through surveillance footage.
On Wednesday, officials said the Pentagon is going to great lengths to ensure any potential applications of AI adhere to strict ethical standards and international norms. Even if the U.S. military balks on deploying the tech, they warned, global adversaries like Russia and China certainly will not, and their ethical framework will likely be lacking.
“The Department of Defense is absolutely unapologetic about pursuing this new generation of AI-enabled weapons,” former Deputy Defense Secretary Robert Work said Wednesday at an event hosted by AFCEA’s Washington, D.C. chapter. “If we’re going to succeed against a competitor like China that’s all in on this competition … we’re going to have to grasp the inevitability of AI.”
Released in February, the Pentagon’s AI strategy explicitly requires human operators to have the ability to override any decisions made by a military AI system and ensures the tech abides by the laws of armed conflict.
Health
Cancer Cluster At California Elementary School Results In Removal Of Sprint Cell Phone Tower
ZeroHedge – Weston Elementary School in Ripon, CA went on high alert after the controversy erupted two years ago – with some parents even pulling their children from school over the tower which Sprint has been paying the school $2,000 per month to place on its property.
The Ripon Unified School District initially defended the cell phone tower earlier this month, with board president Kit Oase saying tests done on the tower had found it was operating within safety standards.
Monica Ferrulli, whose son was treated for brain cancer in 2017, said RUSD has cited an obsolete American Cancer Society study in keeping the tower in place since the controversy erupted two years ago. “It is just denial,” Ferrulli told the board. She vowed that parents will continue to fight and keep their children out of the school. –Modesto Bee
Around 200 parents attended a meeting after a fourth student was diagnosed with cancer on March 8.
Richard Rex, whose family lives across the street from Weston School, said a bump appeared on his 11-year-old son’s abdomen a month ago. He said his son’s classroom is near the tower.
The parents first thought it was a skating injury. Instead of going to science camp, 11-year-old Brad was taken to doctors for examinations and tests that found a tumor wrapped around his liver. The boy now has a portal for starting cancer treatment, the parents said.
Richard Rex said he’s hearing different options for treating the cancer. “They said they can shrink it and cut it out. They’re also talking liver transplant. It is very scary,” Rex said. –Modesto Bee
Sprint representative Adrienne Norton said that the company has been “working with the community in Ripon to address their concerns.”
The potential negative health effects from electromagnetic fields (EMFs) emitted by cell towers or transmission lines have been long debated. While the National Cancer Institute cites studies which conclude that EMFs are a possible human carcinogen based on research which focused on childhood leukemia. The institute’s website says there are no increased risks from brain tumors or other cancers based on European epidemiological studies.
According to notices posted by RUSD, the school district hired engineers for an evaluation in 2018 on the cell tower’s compliance with guidelines for limiting human exposure to electromagnetic radiation. The testing found exposure levels for people nearby were below the federal standard, the notices says. –Modesto Bee
So while parents are blaming the Sprint cell phone tower is responsible for the cancer cluster at Weston Elementary School – it’s entirely possible that other environmental factors are at play.
FDA Approves New Drug for MS
Newsmax – A new pill for relapsing forms of multiple sclerosis (MS) has won approval from the U.S. Food and Drug Administration.
Generally, relapsing MS involves periods of worsening symptoms followed by recovery periods. Over time, some disability follows independent of relapses, and this is called secondary progressive multiple sclerosis, or SPMS.
Approval of the medication Mayzent (siponimod) was based on a clinical trial of more than 1,600 patients with SPMS.
“Multiple sclerosis can have a profound impact on a person’s life,” said Dr. Billy Dunn, director of the FDA’s division of neurology products in the Center for Drug Evaluation and Research.
“We are committed to continuing to work with companies that are developing additional treatment options for patients with multiple sclerosis,” Dunn added in an agency news release.
Omega-3s associated with a reduced risk of bleeding in surgery, according to a new study
NaturalNews – Fish oils are one of the most popular natural supplements for better heart health. However, they are believed to cause blood thinning, which may pose a risk to heart surgery patients. Therefore, taking fish oil before surgery is discouraged as it may lead to uncontrolled, fatal bleeding — but a new study published in the journal Circulation says otherwise. Rather than causing bleeding, omega-3s are linked to a reduced risk of bleeding in surgery. The new study was a secondary analysis of data from the Omega-3 Fatty Acids for the Prevention of Post-Operative Atrial Fibrillation (OPERA) study to determine whether omega-3 supplementation affects the risk of bleeding in surgery patients.
The OPERA study is a large-scale study that involved 1,516 participants scheduled for heart surgery. The participants were randomly divided into two groups: a placebo group and an omega-3 group. Those in the omega-3 group took large, acute doses of eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA) and docosahexaenoic acid (DHA) for two to five days before surgery, then took 1.7 g of omega-3s on the morning of the surgery. The participants continued taking their assigned supplements until they were discharged. The primary result of the study showed no effect on post-operative atrial fibrillation.
According to the BARC criteria, higher levels of EPA and DHA on the morning of the surgery were associated with lower bleeding risk. In addition, there was a substantial decline in the number of units of blood need for transfusions. The exact mechanism behind this effect is still not well understood, but Harris suggested that the anti-inflammatory activity of omega-3s might be contributing to this. (Related: The Powerful Role of Omega-3 Fatty Acids in Preventing Diseases of Inflammation: The Experts Speak.)
“So we don’t really understand why we saw this effect. But what we can say is, look, surgeons, there is no need to take patients off of omega-3s. And there are a lot of good reasons for these patients to continue to take these products,” Harris concluded.
9 Foods you thought were bad for you, but actually aren’t
NaturalNews – There are foods that you don’t eat because growing up, you knew them as “unhealthy.” The foods that you eat, or don’t eat, may have also been influenced by the media or corporations. Here are nine foods that are most commonly perceived as unhealthy, but are actually good for you.

Bananas: Bananas are carbohydrate- and sugar-rich. However, consuming these fruits in moderation actually helps regulate blood sugar levels because of their high pectin fiber content. In addition, they provide many nutrients like potassium, vitamin B6, and copper.
Chocolate: People avoid chocolate because of its sugar content. However, chocolate made with cacao with no artificial ingredients or dairy is actually healthy. Real chocolate actually contains more polyphenols and other powerful anti-aging antioxidants compared to most foods. These substances protect against diseases and prevent DNA damage that causes signs of aging such as wrinkles. Eat at least one square of 75 percent to 85 percent of cacao dark chocolate each night as a dessert to reap its benefits.
Coconut oil: Many people avoid coconut oil because of its saturated fat content, but studies have shown that there is no association between the consumption of saturated fat and a higher risk of heart disease. In fact, research showed that this type of oil is actually good for your heart; it can help increase your levels of high-density lipoprotein (HDL) or “good” cholesterol because of its medium-chain fatty acids. Coconut oil can also help fight bacteria and boost your metabolism. Use coconut oil when sauteing vegetables or use it as a substitute for butter in baking. (Related: Hidden Truth About Coconut Oil: 10 Facts You Need To Know.)
Coffee: Drinking a cup or two of coffee has health benefits: it can lower the risk of Type 2 diabetes, Alzheimer’s, and depression. These benefits may be attributed to its caffeine and high antioxidant content.
Egg yolks: Egg yolks are typically avoided because they contain cholesterol. However, they only have a very small effect on blood cholesterol levels, especially when consumed in moderation. In reality, egg yolks are nutritious and can be a part of a heart-healthy diet. They also contain choline, which helps keep the brain healthy, and vitamin A, which is a powerful antioxidant that can help prevent DNA damage that causes disease.
Grass-fed beef: Beef and other red meats are avoided because of their high saturated fat and cholesterol content, but neither one of these contributes to an increased risk of heart disease, as recent studies showed. Grass-fed ones are safer and healthier to eat. They provide high-quality protein, vitamin B12, zinc, selenium, and iron. They also contain creatine, which enhances muscle growth, and taurine, which prevents heart disease. Additionally, they contain omega-3s and antioxidants like glutathione that combat aging.
Nuts: Nuts are avoided by many because of their high calorie or fat content. While this is true, eating a small handful of nuts a day will give you lots of nutrients and minerals. Nuts like almonds are rich in antioxidants like vitamin E and essential minerals, including copper, magnesium, and selenium. Almonds are also a good source of protein. Add them to your salads or sprinkle chopped nuts on a chia pudding.
Offal: Many people have misconceptions of what offal is. It is a variety of the internal parts of an animal, typically organs such as the heart, lungs, brain, liver, cheeks, and tongue – which is probably why many people don’t eat it. However, organ meats are actually rich in nutrients. Organ meats like the heart, liver, and kidneys contain high amounts of vitamin A that is more readily absorbed by the body than those from orange foods like carrots. In addition, they are also rich in B-vitamins and minerals like copper and magnesium.
Sardines: Sardines, which is consumed as a whole including bones, may sound unappetizing. Nonetheless, sardines are a cheap source of omega-3 fatty acids, which are good for the brain, and vitamin D, which can lower your cancer risk. You can also avoid bisphenol-A (BPA), a chemical found in the lining of cans, by choosing BPA-free canned sardines.